What was the white man's problem with Clinton in 96?

[Ashley Biden's Diary]

He didn't even get 40% nationwide, and had we been the only voters, it would have been a 400+ electoral vote blowout. I know this is the most Republican voting demographic, but my question is still: why?

1.Crime was a big issue for the gop in the 80s, Clinton was for the death penalty, and received a police endorsement.

2.Welfare has always hurt the democrats, Clinton went out of his way to be moderate on this issue, and even signed reforms a few months before the election.

3.Taxes were a big issue, but Clinton campaigned on a capital gains cut.

4.Defense was not really an issue in the 90s.

5.Most importantly, the economy was much better than in 92.

What happened?

[Ashley Biden's Diary]

I wonder of Hillary would have gotten less of this vote than Obama. He got 41%, and at the very most I see her getting around 44%, no more.

[Ashley Biden's Diary]

1992

1996

2004

2008

Some interesting transitions here.

[Ashley Biden's Diary]

I've always wondered what the hell the point in nominating Clinton was. He ws supposed to be a more conservative democrat that could appeal to moderates and lite dems, but he somehow pissed off the conservative crowd more than mondale and dukakis ever did.

[Ashley Biden's Diary]

Whites typically vote more Republican than the nation as a whole. I'm guessing many white people opposed Clinton's stances on many wedge issues (such as abortion, gay marriage, affirmative action, etc.) and thus decided not to vote for him, since Clinton was essential a Republican in terms of economics.

Clinton was against gay marriage and signed the Defense of Marriage Act. He opposed gay marriage on a federal level, which is about as conservative as you can get.

Clinton did very well with white women, who are more likely to vote on issues like abortion, so I don't think that explains white men.

[Ashley Biden's Diary]

Whites typically vote more Republican than the nation as a whole. I'm guessing many white people opposed Clinton's stances on many wedge issues (such as abortion, gay marriage, affirmative action, etc.) and thus decided not to vote for him, since Clinton was essential a Republican in terms of economics.

Clinton was against gay marriage and signed the Defense of Marriage Act. He opposed gay marriage on a federal level, which is about as conservative as you can get.

Clinton did very well with white women, who are more likely to vote on issues like abortion, so I don't think that explains white men.

I guess I wasn't specific enough. I meant Clinton was pro-gay rights, which unfortunately many voters oppose. I still think many white men voted against Clinton because they oppose abortion, gay rights, affirmative action, or some other of Clinton's policies.

Affirmative action and gay rights have been bringing the Democrats down amongst white men since the 70s, so I guess you're right on that. But white women are much more likely to vote on the issue of abortion, at least from my experiences.